72 F-100 I-Beam & Radius Arm

[Cbumpus9398]

Good afternoon. My 72 has front drum manual brakes. I have been interested in a conversion kit but they are too expensive and I'm not sure I want to. If I could convert relatively inexpensive I would do it, but this weekend I took the I beams and radius arms off to replace the bushings and possibly the king pins. When I removed the driver side spindle I beam and driver side radius arm, I suspect they are bent.. I have compared the two sides, next to each other on the floor and they are not the same. The driver side looks bent upward as it gets to the bottle neck, so much it's almost straight across the top. Can it be straightened? Does any one know where I might be able to find one, if it can't be straightened? Any advice on this or a brake conversion would be helpful.
I just thought, could that be part of the alignment? I know to correct the alignment, it has to be bent? Sorry, just not sure. Thanks for any help. Charlie

[sargentrs]

Yes, it could have bent to correct an alignment issue, that's standard procedure. For a front disc swap, check out this tech article. http://www.fordification.com/tech/discbrakes01.htm I was able to find some '74 disc spindles which are pretty much a direct swap from drum. I had my kingpins/bushings replaced before I installed the disc spindles.

[HIO Silver]

Good afternoon. My 72 has front drum manual brakes. I have been interested in a conversion kit but they are too expensive and I'm not sure I want to. If I could convert relatively inexpensive I would do it, but this weekend I took the I beams and radius arms off to replace the bushings and possibly the king pins. When I removed the driver side spindle I beam and driver side radius arm, I suspect they are bent.. I have compared the two sides, next to each other on the floor and they are not the same. The driver side looks bent upward as it gets to the bottle neck, so much it's almost straight across the top. Can it be straightened? Does any one know where I might be able to find one, if it can't be straightened? Any advice on this or a brake conversion would be helpful.
I just thought, could that be part of the alignment? I know to correct the alignment, it has to be bent? Sorry, just not sure. Thanks for any help. Charlie

They look bent but often they are not... I-beam pivot mounts are offset on the frame so the I-beams have to compensate and establish a centerline and corresponding caster. It's mostly an optical illusion.

Half-ton? Another way to change to discs is to use Scarebirds' caliper brackets ($180) that re-uses the drum hub.. no disturbing the front end (kingpins, radius arms) if swapping to discs is the only thing that yer doing. The drum hubs are removed from the spindle and separated from the drum (gotta pound or press out the wheel studs). Then ya pick up a pair of 76-96 Ford half-ton 4wd front disc rotors ($35 each) and have the hubs turned to fit inside the rotors and 1/4-inch longer wheel studs installed (About $30) plus the machine work. The calipers are 90s 2WD GM truck calipers ($15 each at your local salvage yard) and ya use 82-83 Camaro hoses ($25 total). Repack the bearings and assemble. Around $400 total.

Gotta replace the master cylinder and install a proportioning valve.

[Cbumpus9398]

Yes F-100. I have found scarebirds. I don't understand the use of the drum hub. I'm sorry, I do understand mechanics, just can't wrap my mind around using the drum hub. I do understand the use of rotor, caliper and hose, thanks for that info. What about the booster? Is there any info on what to use for the booster? Thank you so much -Charlie

[ultraranger]

For keeping things simple and using all Ford components, it's really hard to beat the Ford quality of the front disc brake setup from a '73-'79 F-100/'75-'79 F-150.

This is a link to the work I'm currently doing on my '69 F-100. Most of the initial wrecking yard donor parts were fairly cheap to obtain. However, I have a fair amount invested in all the parts because I chose to make the donor parts look new and I didn't skimp on critical things like new bushings, kingpins, coil springs, master cylinder, etc.

If you're not concerned with the components appearance and such, you could do this disc brake swap fairly cheap.

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/13395 ... drums.html

[HIO Silver]

Yes F-100. I have found scarebirds. I don't understand the use of the drum hub. I'm sorry, I do understand mechanics, just can't wrap my mind around using the drum hub. I do understand the use of rotor, caliper and hose, thanks for that info. What about the booster? Is there any info on what to use for the booster? Thank you so much -Charlie

Review this exploded diagram of front drum brakes: http://www.fordification.com/tech/image ... brakes.gif

See the drum's hub? PN 1104? Its diameter gets turned down on a lathe so it fits inside a disc brake rotor.

In terms of a booster, spec (or salvage) one from a 72 with a corresponding master cylinder. Order up catalogs from National Parts Depot.. they have a good parts listing.

If you can get low-buck donor with usable discs already then that might be your best bet. However, the parts will probably need to be rebuilt anyway which adds to the cost. A Scarebird system, in relation to a Bumpside or Dentside donor, will be neck and neck, cost-wise. The Scarebird system will, in the end, be less work in my opinion. Your call.

Have you read the tech tutorial? http://www.fordification.com/tech/discbrakes01.htm